While sitting down for a rest at Hasedera in Kamakura I saw this praying mantis (とうろう). This was the only photo I got of it as when I went for a better angle it jumped right up on me and that was the end of picture time.

May 17th, 2012 | Tags: hasedera | Category: Japan | Leave a comment

Today’s photo is a blast from the past, 2009 to be exact. Bobby Valentine was managing the Lotte Marines into the basement of the league standings in Japan, and the Boston Red Sox were heading for another post season in Major League Baseball. Ever since Bobby left, the Marines have been a force to be reckoned with. This year they are leading the Nippon Professional Baseball standings. Where is Bobby? Leading the Boston Red Sox into the cellar of the American League East. The good news is we don’t have to hear him on ESPN anymore.

The shirt worn by this fan is the jersey of Tadahito Iguchi who had just returned to play in Japan after four years playing MLB, mostly for the Chicago White Sox where he was pretty good for his first couple seasons.

May 16th, 2012 | Tags: baseball | Category: Japan | Comments (1)

This 180 degree panorama is a photomerge from a series of 6 ultra wide angle images I took while looking over the edge from the top of AT&T Park. The street heading off to the left and to the right is really the same, straight street with no curve in the road. The distortion is due to the photomerge and the close distance I was to the street. You can’t see this view in real life without turning your head from side to side.

To the far left is the Pacific Ocean and to the far right is the San Francisco Bay. You can see a bit of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to the right, especially if you click on the image to make it bigger.

May 15th, 2012 | Tags: dusk, nikon d7000, panorama, photography, photoshop, san francisco, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 Lens for Nikon | Category: Other | Leave a comment

The Tigers didn’t exactly cut Lou Gehrig when they let go of Brandon Inge a couple weeks ago. However, Inge hit his fourth homer for the A’s this past weekend and knocked in four runs for the fourth time in five games, a feat matched by only the Iron Horse (Gehrig).

The day after Inge joined Gehrig’s elite company he could be seen chatting with Tigers third base coach (and former manager of the White Sox and Pirates), Gene Lamont, between innings as he warmed up. I wish I could have heard what they were saying.

I practically lived at the Oakland Coliseum from 1980 until 1986. Saturday’s game was only my third time back since 1986 and first time in well over a decade. It still feels like home.

May 14th, 2012 | Tags: AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II, baseball, california, nikon d7000, Nikon TC-17E II 1.7x Teleconverter, oakland | Category: Other | Leave a comment

I took today’s photo a few minutes before Roger Waters hit the stage and built The Wall that was to hide the band from the tens of thousands in the audience at AT&T Park in San Francisco this past Friday night. What a lovely evening it was! There was a cruise ship and some sort of Navy boat in McCovey Cove (beyond the right field wall). You could also buy a beer out of the Giants’ dugout.

May 13th, 2012 | Tags: nikon d7000, roger waters, san francisco, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 Lens for Nikon | Category: Other | Leave a comment